Fayette County

The Kentucky Blood Center is issuing an emergency appeal for blood donors because of a swift decline in donations and the winter storm this week that is expected to cripple the blood supply.

According to the blood center, weather already has forced the cancellation of multiple blood drives during the past two weeks, causing more than 350 pints of blood to go uncollected. Transfusions have recently outpaced blood donations.

Eligible blood donors may schedule appointments at www.kybloodcenter.org or by calling 1-800-775-2522.

The Lexington Donor Center is at 3121 Beaumont Centre Circle; the Somerset Donor Center is at 120 South U.S. 27, and the Pikeville Donor Center is at 472 South Mayo Drive

Walk-in donors are welcome. The Kentucky Blood Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring a safe, adequate blood supply for patients at nearly 70 Kentucky hospitals and clinics in more than 60 counties.

Brown named to hospice post

Gretchen Brown, president and chief executive officer of Hospice of the Bluegrass, was elected as the 2009 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization board-chair Dec. 11.

Brown has been the president of Hospice of the Bluegrass since 1982. In addition to serving as the NHPCO chair, she serves on the Board of the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa.

She is also the former chair of the National Hospice Work Group.

Brown serves on the Bluegrass Mental Health/Mental Retardation Board and the UK College of Public Health External Advisory Council.e_SClBLove Your Heart Walk on Feb. 14

Central Baptist Hospital is holding open registration for the Love Your Heart Walk. The walk is open to all and is meant to raise awareness of heart disease. Registration is $10; all proceeds will go to the Lexington Cardiac Research Foundation, which allows local physicians to conduct research studies and improve treatments for cardiovascular disease in a community-based setting.

The walk will be 8-10 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Fayette Mall on Nicholasville Road. Prizes include a chance to win a mall shopping spree. To register, call (859) 260-6326.

Electronics recycling offered

Bluegrass PRIDE is offering an environmentally friendly way to dispose of cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs through a regionwide recycling program. Cell phone drop-off boxes are located around Central Kentucky.

After collection, the devices are sent to Louisville-based Eco-Cell. Phones, MP3s and PDAs designated for reuse will be refurbished for first-time, low-income users in foreign countries. A number of phones are also set aside for local organizations to distribute, including hospitals that give them to patients, enabling them to make emergency calls. Phones with no resale value will be recycled.

Eco-Cell operates under a strict no-landfill policy and provides its conservation partners with the most-profitable, easy-to-use and environmentally sound cell phone recycling program possible. Visit www.eco-cell.com and www.KentuckyPRIDE.com.

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